Trump Renovates Lincoln Memorial Pool for $1.5M

President Trump announced plans to renovate the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, characterizing it as “filthy” and “dirty” during an Oval Office event about healthcare. Trump stated he inspected the pool with Secret Service members and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, rejecting a contractor’s proposal for a $300 million three-year renovation involving granite removal. Instead, Trump claims he secured a contractor willing to complete the work for $1.5 million to $2 million, citing his experience as a real estate developer who has built over 100 swimming pools.

According to Trump, renovation work began two weeks prior, with the contractor scrubbing the pool’s surface and applying what Trump describes as “industrial grade swimming pool topping” in “American flag blue.” Trump predicted the renovated pool would remain functional for 40 to 50 years without leaks or deterioration, contrasting his cost estimate with the previous 2012 renovation that cost approximately $30 million.

This pool renovation represents one of several initiatives Trump has undertaken to restructure Washington’s appearance and federal infrastructure. Trump has already covered the Oval Office in gold, paved over the Rose Garden grass, and announced plans for a 250-foot “Triumphal Arch” and a National Garden of American Heroes featuring 250 statues.

Trump’s most controversial renovation project involved the sudden demolition of the White House East Wing to make room for a 90,000-square-foot ballroom, a decision that prompted a federal judge to halt the project pending congressional approval. The Trump administration has appealed the judicial order blocking the East Wing demolition.

(Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/23/us/politics/trump-reflecting-pool-renovation.html)